Mop assembly with sliding, rotatable and clamping wringer sleeve

Abstract

A mop includes a base assembly fixed to a pole and a sleeve assembly releasably attached to the base. The sleeve assembly includes a sleeve body and a finned clamping mechanism actuated with a button that extends through a port in the sleeve body. Pressing the actuator towards the sleeve body deflects a cantilevered arm and fin towards an opposite finned side of the body. When detached from the base, the sleeve assembly may be slid to engulf a mop head, actuated to grip and rotated to wring the mop head. A toothed clamp assembly releasably secures a mop head to the bottom of a pole.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mop assembly comprising:
 a pole with a first end and a second end opposite the first end;   a mop head attached to the second end of the pole;   a base fixed to the pole between the first end the second end, the pole extending through the base;   a sleeve assembly releasably coupled to the base and movable linearly along the pole from the base to the second end and rotatable about the pole, the sleeve assembly including a side wall defining an interior compartment, the sleeve assembly including a clamping mechanism in the interior compartment and an actuator extending from the clamping mechanism through the side wall, the interior compartment being sized to receive the mop head at the second end of the pole, and the clamping mechanism configured to clamp the mop head in the sleeve assembly upon actuating the actuator.   
     
     
         2 . The mop assembly of  claim 1 , the clamping mechanism comprising a cantilevered arm having an end fixed to the side wall, a free end opposite the end fixed to the side wall and a middle between the free end and the end fixed to the side wall, the free end of cantilevered arm being deflectable from an undeflected position against the sidewall to a deflected position away from the sidewall. 
     
     
         3 . The mop assembly of  claim 2 , the actuator comprising a button extending from the cantilevered arm through the sidewall. 
     
     
         4 . The mop assembly of  claim 3 , the button extending from between the middle of the cantilevered arm and the end of the cantilevered arm. 
     
     
         5 . The mop assembly of  claim 4 , the cantilevered arm including a first side facing the sidewall and a second side opposite the first side, further comprising a first fin extending from the second side of the cantilevered arm. 
     
     
         6 . The mop assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a second fin extending from the sidewall opposite the first fin, the second fin extending towards the first fin. 
     
     
         7 . The mop assembly of  claim 1 , the sleeve assembly including an open end, the open end having a height of 2.5 to 5 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The mop assembly of  claim 1 , the sleeve assembly including an open end, the open end having a width of 2.0 to 4 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The mop assembly of  claim 1 , the sleeve assembly including an open end, the open end having a height of 2.5 to 5 inches and a width of 2.0 to 4 inches. 
     
     
         10 . The mop assembly of  claim 1 , the base including a bottom end defining a socket, and the sleeve assembly including a top end defining a plug configured to mate with the socket of the base. 
     
     
         11 . The mop assembly of  claim 10 , the socket including a plurality of spaced apart parallel annular ridges and the plug including a cantilever beam with a hooked end, the hooked end engaging the annular ridges. 
     
     
         12 . The mop assembly of  claim 1 , the base including a bottom end defining a socket, and the socket including internal threads, and the sleeve assembly including a top end defining a plug, and the plug including external threads configured to mate with the internal threads of the socket of the base. 
     
     
         13 . The mop assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a mop head jaw assembly, the mop head jaw assembly including a core and a jaw, the core being coupled to the second end of the pole, the jaw being releasably attached to the core, a first plurality of teeth extending from the base towards the jaw, a second plurality of teeth extending from the jaw towards the base, and a portion of the mop head being disposed between the first plurality of teeth and the second plurality of teeth. 
     
     
         14 . The mop assembly of  claim 13 , the jaw being releasably attached to the base with a plurality of snap fit couplings. 
     
     
         15 . The mop assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising first spaces between teeth of the first plurality of teeth, and second spaces between teeth of the second plurality of teeth, and teeth of the second plurality of teeth being aligned with first spaces between teeth of the first plurality of teeth, and teeth of the first plurality of teeth being aligned with second spaces between teeth of the second plurality of teeth. 
     
     
         16 . The mop assembly of  claim 13 , the jaw further including a plurality of ribs, including a rib aligned with each tooth of the second plurality of teeth. 
     
     
         17 . The mop assembly of  claim 13 , the mop head jaw assembly further including a bushing with an open end into which the second end of the pole is received, the bushing being releasably attached to the core. 
     
     
         18 . The mop assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a locking pin extending from the bushing, and the core including a slot with an opening, and locking pin being configured to pass through the opening of the slot and into the slot to releasably secure the bushing to the core. 
     
     
         19 . The mop assembly of  claim 13 , a minimum distance between the first plurality of teeth and the second plurality of teeth being 0.4 to 0.7 inches. 
     
     
         20 . The mop assembly of  claim 19 , a height of each tooth of the first plurality of teeth and the second plurality of teeth being no greater than the minimum distance between the first plurality of teeth and the second plurality of teeth.